Credits

Plot Information for Tacea

Tensions are rising in Tacea after the destruction of their Territory Court at the hands of its Queen. Unable to continue their traditional cycle of succession because of accusations of treason, Tacea must find a Queen capable of uniting the land while building bridges to the world outside its borders.

The Ariake throw a lot of Healers and have the highest success rates in training those without the natural born caste in Healer work, from witches to males. Their emblem is a double carp, often seen done in silver, as silver and pearls have historically been the trade and pride of the clan. They are very active in the performance arts - such as dance or theatre.

In terms of martial craft, the Ariake aren't as strong as some of the other clans, though they do specialize in a set of familial Spear stances. Instead of outward manifestations of their craft, they specialize in working with the internal coils of their power, flexing it in short bursts that help absorb damage or concentrating force into glancing touches. They forge their own weapons and imbue them with the blood or chips of an individual's Jewels to create highly specialized weapons. These weapons become better conduits for the Craft of specific wielders and can hold any Craft spelled onto it for longer (due to the nature of the blood or Jewel fragments involved in the forging process).

Ariake practices a martial way that believes in becoming in "tune" or harmonized to both their weapon and the environment, lending a sense of "flow" to their movements. It is often called the flower of the martial arts world.

The Izayoi are a renown military clan, boasting some of the most well known and applauded generals, strategists, and directors of the armed forces. They happen to rule one of the few areas of Tacea that is the more conducive to foliage and so have a strong hold on the agricultural market. A large majority of the forestry is grown under the purview of the Izayoi. They proudly bear the clan insignia of the tiger.

While not as involved in the arts as other clans, Izayoi are masters of go and shogi, with a predilection for philosophy and the study of classics. Aggressive, but not overly so, the clan is smaller than the other three. Fierce, they are something to be feared in combat, capable of casting "shadows" of their weapons with their Craft - ghosts of the blade beyond its physical reach.

Many martial arts schools are run by Izayoi and her affiliates. Main branch Izayoi learn to wield the chocho kama (butterfly dual handed sickles).

As the winner of the great civil war - the era of Warring Dragons - Kagen is prospering in peacetime. The southern islands of Tacea are warmer and the most suitable for farming. Nearly all of the produce (fruit, grains, vegetables) in Tacea is from Minami-fu and Kyutai.

Kagen is not a clan to be looked down on in the battle field; their emblem is, after all, the wolf. They are masters of using physical enhancement craft and manipulating skin tight shields to take a blow and reflect the damage, specializing in a passive aggressive take that offers an offensive defense. Many of Kagen are famed for their precision and agility, especially in the way of throwing weapons. The kyoketsu-shoge, a double edged blade attached to rope or chain, is known as a specialty wielded by them, as many work closely with the land and Landens.

The labours of Hinata over the last few decades has fostered a lot of good will toward the name of Kagen. Protective and slow to take insult, they excel in bureaucratic settings and work well as courtiers.

Shingetsu is traditionally split between the north and south, which on a larger scale is indicative of their nature as a clan. In this new era of reconstruction and even before it, Shingetsu was and is a major mercantile clan, dealing heavily with trade, transportation of product, and connecting disparate parts of Tacea to each other. Many of the major trade routes are protected and run by this clan, signified by the banner of a crane.

In recent memory, Shingetsu has become prominent in the arts and the Priestesshood; one could say they have been doggedly trying to raise the prestige of their name and honor. As a clan that stems from origins of trade and industry rather than craftsmanship or farming, the sheer amount of wealth the clan has gathered has raised eyebrows behind delicate paper fans on many an occasion.

Archery is the weapon of choice for scions of Shingetsu and what is traditionally their forte. Incredibly light on their feet, they practice a manipulation of Craft where the center of gravity is shifted under the direction of the user, allowing one to leap great distances, walk across calm water, or up a smooth wall.

Logged

resident sillybeast-dragon hybrid “ that which is essential, is invisible to the eye ”